Actor Ian McDiarmid has expressed interest in reprising his role as Emperor Palpatine for the new Star Wars live-action TV series.

Addressing fans during a Q&A at the Star Wars Celebration VI, the Brit admitted that he would "hate" to see somebody else playing his character if the villain is included in the show, IGN reports.

"It would be nice if one day they would be followed up... who knows? Who knows if Palpatine would be in it? It could be like A New Hope," he said. "There could be a terrific representative - and by god, Peter Cushing was a terrific actor - doing the emperor's bidding.

"If he happened to pop up in the script I would hate if it was to go live and someone else were to be in it."

The live-action TV show, is in development under the working title of Star Wars: Underworld.

Producer Rick McCallum confirmed that the series will focus on "the criminals and the gangs" of the saga's universe.